Verdi jewellery balances technology and craftsmanship

“Day & Night” magazine recently had the opportunity to meet Marco Verdi, son of founder and Chief Executive Officer of the brand, and speak to him on the role of Italian jewellery in the global market, and the place of technology in making jewellery

As Verdi is one of the top 5 jewellery brands in Italy, where do you think Italian jewellery is poised, considering the competition from the jewellery brands of other countries?

Italian brands have always distinguished themselves from other countries’ products with their superior quality of the jewels and their design. Yes, of course, we are aware of the competition poised by jewellery from other countries, but if we persist in producing new designs and are up-to-date with our techniques, then Italian brands will still lead the jewellery market in the future. It is all about design and quality, and that is what we always strive to offer to our clients.

While we use modern technology in producing jewellery, we still are rooted in our Italian heritage and all of our jewellery pieces are produced totally in-house in Italy – right from the producing the design to creating the end product. This is the reason that Italian jewellery is leading the market and will continue to do so in the future.

While we understand the technical expertise of Verdi jewellery, can you explain what aspect of design makes Verdi so special?

We have a team of designers who work throughout the year to bring out at least four or five new collections. While we ensure that these are in accordance with the jewellery trends of the season, we also love playing with colours. That is our strength, and we love to come up with unusual combinations that is so characteristic of Verdi jewellery and identity. It is not easy because we have to come up with new collections every year. We are not a big brand and sometimes we are not sure that our designs will be welcomed by our clientele.

In two years, Verdi will be completing 50 years, and so we do have the experience to choose the right design for the right market. It is true that all of us make mistakes, but we are fortunate that all of our collections in recent years have been well-accepted in the market.

Do tastes change from market to market?

Yes, they do; Western Europe – except for the more touristic places such as Spain, Southern Italy, or Greece – prefers the more classic designs. People from the Middle East are more open to novelties, combining colours and like to have fun with jewellery. In certain parts of Europe and other places in the world, preference is for diamond jewellery, which is considered safer.

What role will technology play for jewellery in the future? And for Verdi?

We have to be very aware of the point where technology ends and craftsmanship begins because we cannot accomplish everything with technology. Now, of course, technology has made the designing and modelling process faster, with computer-aided designs and models. But, in the end, the workmanship has to be left to Man; everything cannot be done with technology. We need to find the proper balance between the two things.

How hard is it to find craftsmen with the requisite knowledge and experience that Verdi requires for crafting your jewels?

It is very hard to find them because the younger generation is not as well-trained as earlier. This is a problem not only in Italy but across the world. The good craftsmen are already in their mid-50s and 60s. The technology is there but the youngsters need to learn from working at the side of an experienced craftsman.

There are some good young jewellers but they need to learn how to work the technology, and where to draw the line on technology and focus on the craftsmanship. They need experience in the field and that is the main challenge facing the younger generation.

Name one market where Verdi is not present in currently and where you hope to establish a presence in the future?

We had a good presence in the US earlier, but not so much now. It is a market that demands a lot of financial inputs, and needs a lot of concentrated focus to do well. I would like to strengthen our presence in the US, because I think we have the right jewellery for them.

The Middle East is our main market and we are very well-set here. In the Far East, we are developing year by year. Africa is potentially a very good market for us, especially Nigeria and Ghana. We do have clients in this region and the problem is that they have to travel to come and see us. Hopefully in the future, there will be a good meeting point for the African buyers and us.